Varian Associates, Inc.

Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corp.

Varian Medical Systems, Inc.

Mobeta, Inc.

Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation

Varian Medical Systems Technologies, Inc.

North American Philips Corp, Signetics Division

Michelangelo Delfino

Mary Elizabeth Day

Siamak Salimian

Bu-Chin Chung

Edward J Seppi

Marcel R Marc

William I Lehrer

Janet M Flanner

Stanley Woodrow Johnsen

Raymond Denzil McIntyre

Wilman Tsai

David T Hodul

Bruce R Cairns

Ronald C McFarland

Timothy Reifsteck

An apparatus and method for irradiating target objects, especially medical stents for in vivo implantation. A linear accelerator provides a high energy electron beam that impinges upon and is received by an x-ray conversion target. The x-ray conversion target is activated by either a static or dynamically moveable electron beam to generate and emit an x-ray flux so as to efficiently intercept the target object. The x-ray flux is directed to the target object for a desired time period and is of sufficiently high energy to efficiently impart radioactive properties to the target object. Alternatively, the target object is positioned within the path of the x-ray flux or is translated within the path during irradiation. Mechanical transport assemblies such as a carousel, rotational and/or linear translator and/or movement tube system also may be provided.

Method and apparatus for producing radioactive materials for medical treatment using x-rays produced by an electron accelerator

A medical implant for use in brachytherapy or other medical treatment preferably having a silicon base and radioactive ions implanted in it. Preferably radioactive xenon ions are used. An ion implantation process is provided for doping the silicon substrate with the radioactive ions in a controlled fashion.

Radioactive medical implant and method of manufacturing

An apparatus and method of forming a radioactive stent having a radioactive layer. A solution containing a radioactive isotope depositing substance in solution is provided and placed into contact with the stent or any other substrate material capable of receiving the radioactive isotope. The radioactive isotope is deposited on the stent or substrate material. Preferably a phosphorous isotope is used and the solution is polymerized forming polymer chains containing the radioactive isotope. In this embodiment, the phosphorous is bonded with the substrate material in a phosphorous-oxygen-phosphorous network.

Method and apparatus creating a radioactive layer on a receiving substrate for in vivo implantation

A radioactive transition metal stent, comprising one or more transition metals, wherein the transition metal stent surface is chemically bound to a radioactive material; and a method for producing the radioactive transition metal stent wherein the radioisotope is chemically bound to, and is uniformly confined to the transition metal stent surface without affecting the metallurgical properties of the transition metal stent is disclosed.

Radioactive transition metal stents

Method and apparatus creating a radioactive layer on a receiving

An x-ray target has a substrate of a carbonaceous material such as graphite which is secured to a rotary shaft so as to rotate therewith. A portion of outer peripheral surface of the substrate is covered by a target plate, while the other portion is covered with a thin iridium layer with thickness in a range between 50 .ANG. and 250 .ANG. so that the trapped gas species like H.sub.2, CO, CO.sub.2 can escape therethrough, and to retard the diffusion of ambient gas species into the substrate while the infrared emissivity of the underlying substrate is not lowered appreciably thereby.

Carbon-backed x-ray target with coating

An improved process for forming titanium silicide layers on semiconductor device silicon regions which have native oxide thereon utilizes a reactively sputter deposited layer of TiH.sub.x.ltoreq.2 followed by a rapid thermal anneal in a nitrogen bearing gas. This process results in lowered silicidation activation energy and lower anneal temperature requirements. Production throughput is improved with respect to prior art methods of removing the native oxide or minimizing its negative effect on silicide formation. The same process produces a titanium nitride/titanium silicide bilayer on silicon, and a titanium nitride/titanium bilayer on silicon dioxide. The thickness of the titanium nitride layer over silicon dioxide is enhanced by the use of TiH.sub.x.ltoreq.2 in place of Ti layers used in prior art, thus improving the utility of the titanium nitride as a diffusion barrier layer.

Use of titanium hydride in integrated circuit fabrication

A method for making an improved metal silicide layer on a silicon substrate by plasma bombardment of the substrate with Ne ions to remove the native oxide without damage or significant implantation of Ne atoms into said silicon, depositing a metal layer over the Ne etched surface and then rapidly thermally causing the metal layer to react with the underlying silicon.

Plasma etch process and TiSi.sub.x layers made using the process

A microwave powered electron cyclotron resonance reactor employing a low pressure, high electron density plasma for rapid oxide etching using hydrogen and argon incorporates an alumina-coated quartz dielectric microwave window to couple microwave energy into an etch chamber while preventing oxygen in the window from contaminating the etch chamber or its contents. The etch chamber side of the dielectric microwave window is coated with alumina.

Plasma etch equipment

Method employing low pressure plasma having high electron density for rapid oxide etching employing hydrogen and argon and specific electron clyclotron resonance (ECR) operating parameters in an ECR having a non-oxygen contributing environment in the reaction chamber.

Plasma etch process

A narrow-band pyrometric system measures the temperature of an object (1), such as a semiconductor wafer (1), that is coated with a film (2) having an absorption band. The thermal radiation emitted by the coated object (1) passes through a lens (3) and aperture (4), and then a filter (5). The passband of this filter (5) falls within the absorption band of the film (2). The transmitted radiation is then collected by the radiation detector (6), which measures the intensity. The detected radiation is at a wavelength where the heated object (1) is substantially opaque, and the effect of uncertainties in the emissivity on the temperature measurement is minimized. Thus, a method is provided to coat the object (1) with a film (2) of material having an absorption band encompassing the filter (5) passband, and a thickness sufficiently great that the object (1) appears opaque when viewed through the filter (5). Alternatively, the film (2) material and thickness must be such that the emissivity is constant and accurately known in the passband wavelength region.

Narrow spectral band pyrometry

A method of fabricating a CMOS-type structure entails forming a pair of conductive portions (68 and 70) on a pair of dielectric portions (72 and 74) lying on monocrystalline silicon (60). N-type dopant-containing ions are implanted into the silicon to form a pair of doped regions (78/82) separated by p-type material under one of the dielectric portions. Boron dopant-containing ions are similarly implanted to form a pair of doped regions (84) separated by n-type material under the other dielectric portion. A sacrificial oxidation is performed by oxidizing surface material of each conductive portion and each doped region and then removing at least part of the so oxidized material (86) down to the underlying silicon. Tungsten (88 and 90) is deposited on the exposed silicon after which a patterned electrical conductor is provided over the tungsten. Use of the sacrificial oxidation substantially reduces tunnel formation during the tungsten deposition.

Semiconductor fabrication process using sacrificial oxidation to reduce

A deposition reactor system is described for producing a coating containing a predetermined component on a substrate from a plasma containing such component in an ionized state. The substrate is supported on a susceptor within a reactor chamber to which is introduced a gas containing the predetermined component. A radio frequency field is inductively coupled to the gas, forming a plasma in the reactor chamber in the region of the susceptor. The susceptor is maintained at ground potential in the radio frequency field.

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Michelangelo Delfino